


Oh Death

by darkravenqueen



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, I made myself sad with this, M/M, please, the love each other so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-18
Updated: 2017-11-18
Packaged: 2019-02-03 22:22:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12757323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darkravenqueen/pseuds/darkravenqueen
Summary: “I’m here for you. You got me. You always will.”





	Oh Death

Kevin's been playing professionally for ten years now. He still lives and breathes exy, but he also found other things that bring him joy. History. Documentaries. Cooking. Aaron.

Aaron is a chief physician in his hospital. It's a stressful job, but very rewarding.

Both of this means, though, that they have trouble meeting up. When Kevin is off, Aaron sometimes has to do a double shift at the hospital. But as long as they have each other, they don't mind. Especially in the offseason when Aaron also takes a vacation.

It's shortly before Christmas and they are both home. Kevin is in the kitchen, preparing dinner while Aaron sets the table up. It's weirdly domestic and Aaron still has trouble to believe that all of this is real.

In the background the TV is on. It's some history documentary that Kevin chose. They already watched it ten times, but Aaron doesn't mind. He likes to see Kevin smile. While they eat, they hold hands, caressing each other's skin. This is when the call comes.

Kevin frowns and looks at Aaron. Latter one just shrugs his shoulders. They barely get calls. Mostly they just use skype to keep in contact with their family. Kevin gets up and grabs the phone. "Minyard-Day?"

Kevin's face falls in a matter of seconds. His skin goes pale and his hands start shaking. Quickly Aaron jumps up and walks to him. "Where?" Aaron searches for an answer in Kevin's face, but can't find one. His heart is dropping more and more the longer he waits. "We're on our way."

"What happened?" Aaron asks after Kevin carelessly throws the phone onto the table. "My dad ... he had a stroke. They put him in a hospital."

Kevin wants to leave instantly, but Aaron orders him to sit down while he quickly packs a few things. Kevin's mind is hazy, he doesn't know what to do. Aaron comes back with a jacket over his arm. "Babe, come on." He helps him up and into his jacket before grabbing the bags. Kevin heads to the driver's side, but Aaron stops him. "I drive. It's okay."

Nothing is okay. Nothing. Kevin still shakes when he sits inside. "We gotta get to him."

"I know. We will." Aaron squeezes Kevin's hand while going way too much over the speed limit to the airport.

"I can't lose him," Kevin says, his face twisted in pain.

Aaron feels a knife pressing into his heart. "You won't." He doesn't know if it's true, but oh god, he hopes.

Aaron does all the talking at the airport. Kevin tries his best to hold it together while his thoughts get faster and faster. Why did it happen so soon? Should he have spent more time with him? Oh god, why was he so focused on exy? Was it his fault? In the airplane Aaron just holds Kevin and whispers soothing stuff into his ear until at least most of the shaking stops. Kevin is too paralyzed to share his fears, though, so he just keeps them to themselves. Aaron seems to feel it, but he just kisses the top of Kevin's head.

He can hold Kevin, but he can't save him from his own thoughts.

As they don't have a car, they go with a taxi. It's the horror for Kevin to sit still while the driver could be so much faster. He visibly tenses and Aaron is quick to notice. "I'll give you two hundred bucks more if you drive like hell is loose." The driver doesn't need to hear that twice.

After three near-death experiences, they reach the hospital. Aaron feels like throwing up - he thought Andrew drives bad - but Kevin jumps out before the car even completely stopped and runs to the hospital. Aaron sprints after him after he just pressed a wad of notes into the driver's hand. When he arrives, Kevin already set off to the stairs, probably knowing which room Wymack is in. It is hard to keep up, but he ignores his stitches in the side and runs after him.

Kevin bursts through the door without even knocking, Aaron in tow. He instantly freezes and Aaron looks around him to see what's going on. Wymack is pale. Extraordinary pale. He lies on the bed, a mass of tubes in him. His breathing is weak and his eyes are closed. Abby sits right next to him, holding onto his hand for dear life. She looks up at their arrival and manages the smallest of smiles. Her eyes are red, but she is probably done crying.

Kevin still stands still like this all isn't real. Aaron softly nudges him until he begins to move, heading slowly to his father. Aaron closes the door and follows him. His throat is tight. He's never seen Wymack like this. He's been always so strong and fierce. Now he looks like a shadow of his old self. He goes to stand next to Abby while Kevin sits down on the other side, his eyes never leaving Wymack's face. "Dad?" His voice breaks, and with it, Aaron's heart.

Wymack moves, but only ever so slightly. He opens his eyes, a weak smile playing on his lips. "Hey son."

Kevin breathes in and out a few times, obviously struggling to keep his cool. "Dad, what happened?"

Wymack tries to wave his right hand, but fails. "Don't worry about me."

Aaron can't stand to see this any longer. He needs to talk to a doctor. Because from what he sees, it definitely doesn't look good for him. "Kevin?" Kevin doesn't move, but Aaron knows he heard him. "I'll be right back. Promise."

"Where are you going?" Now Kevin's head snaps up, looking slightly scared at Aaron.

"I'm just gonna get the doctor. Don't worry."

"I'm gonna go with you, I haven't walked in hours," Abby says, squeezing Wymack's hand before also getting up. Kevin sits down while they leave the room.

Abby goes to get herself some coffee while Aaron heads to a nurse and asks for the doctor. He finds him shortly after and asks him about Wymack. The doctor's face seems troubled. That's all that Aaron needed to know. He just wants to head back as he hears a loud scream. Kevin.

He's repeating "Dad" over and over again. Aaron arrives at the door and sees the spilled cup of coffee on the floor. Abby.

Aaron barges in. "What happened?"

He doesn't need an answer after a look on the screen. Wymack's heart stopped beating. He shoves his feelings aside and gets in doctor mode. He steps by Abby, opening up Wymack's flannel and starting a cardiac massage while ordering Abby to get a doctor. Kevin's face is a mess of tears while he still holds onto his father. Doctor and nurses barge in. "We need a CPR stat!", Aaron says before giving him rescue breathing. He hears Kevin's protests as a nurse wants him to step away, but he is totally focused on Wymack right now. He hears how Abby takes Kevin away.

They fight for his life for a few minutes, but nothing. In the end, they have to give up. "Time of death: 02:05 pm," Aaron says with numb lips. He doesn't dare to look at Kevin while the other doctor leaves the room, letting the rest of the work to the nurses. He just sinks down onto the chair, burying his face in his hands. He doesn't think any patients' death hit him as hard as this. Wymack was like a father to him and a real dad to Kevin. And now he's gone.

Finally, he dares to look up. Kevin knees on the floor, staring blankly at Wymack who's been covered with a shroud. Abby has a hand put on his shoulder while tears stream over her face.

They sit like that for a while. Abby is the first one to move. "I'm gonna call the others," she means with a hoarse voice. The door closes behind her with a soft click. It seems like that wakes Kevin up from his frozen state.

Kevin's face is a grimace. Aaron stands up, but barely gets the chance to walk to him as Kevin jumps up. He pushes Aaron against the wall, hard. Aaron stops breathing for a few seconds while Kevin shakes him. "You promised he won't. You promised," Kevin sobs, fisting Aaron's flannel. "You promised. You lied. You liar!"

Aaron's eyes begin to water too. "Kev-"

Kevin slowly sinks down, still shaking Aaron. "You lied. You lied to me." He begins hitting him weakly with his fists.

"I'm sorry," Aaron says, his voice shaking. He slowly grabs Kevin's wrist, stopping him from punching him. He sinks also down while Kevin holds onto him for dear life. "I'm so sorry."

Aaron wraps his arm around Kevin, holds him while they both cry. Kevin sobs into Aaron's shirt, but he couldn't care less. He holds onto him. And holds. Holds until the shaking gets less. Until the sobs get quieter. Until the only sound in the room is Kevin's ragged breathing. Aaron feels like someone ripped his heart out.

They sit still for a while. Then Aaron slowly leans back a bit, craddling Kevin's face in his hands and wiping away his tears with his thumbs. "I'm here for you. You got me. You always will."

Kevin just nods before leaning his forehead against Aaron's. His breathing slowly evens out and matches Aaron's rhythm.

They both look up as Abby reappears. "I called them."

Aaron helps Kevin get up, slinging an arm around him. He has to be strong for him. They leave the room without looking back once.

As soon as they are in the hotel Aaron booked in the taxi, Kevin heads straight to the mini bar. Aaron lets him. Kevin didn't need alcohol as a crutch for years now. They only had wine at home, nothing strong. But Aaron knows the want to numb your own feelings. And only for today, he will let Kevin do it. He will keep an eye on him.

So he lets Kevin sit between his legs, emptying a vodka bottle in silence. There is no need to speak while he strokes his hair. It feels like a train drove over him. After an hour, Kevin starts dozing off, the last words on his lips being "Aaron". Aaron lies down with him on the small couch, holding him tightly. This night, no sleep finds Aaron.

The next days go by with funeral arrangements. Aaron and Abby organize the most, but Kevin decides the most. He wants it to be perfect.

They just sit in the living room when it knocks. Kevin stands up and opens, expecting Abby, but instead gets nearly hugged to death by Nicky. He is closely followed by Neil and Andrew. Aaron only needs to take one look at Neil's slightly red eyes before he averts his gaze again. "What -" Kevin begins, but Nicky cuts him off.

"We are here for you, Kevin!" With a look at Andrew, Nicky adds: "More or less."

Neil is seemingly too tired to glare at Nicky. Andrew is the first to move again, sitting down next to Aaron and watching him with clear eyes. They don't say anything, just look at each other. After a while, Andrew just gives a short nod. Aaron nods back. They hug each other shortly.

They all sit around the living room table, now also getting involved in the arrangements. Aaron doesn't miss how close Neil sits to Kevin, but he knows both of them were hit the hardest with Wymack's death, so he doesn't mind. Not even as Kevin gets up because it's too much and Neil indicates Aaron to sit down again while he goes after him. Aaron never really understood their friendship, but now he is really grateful for Neil.

Nicky still chatters away, trying to make the silence less heavy while they organize things. It's not pleasant that they only came together in this circumstances, but it feels good to be a whole group - a whole family - again.

For the funeral, they are all dressed in black. It's a beautiful ceremony, but doesn't help to lessen the pain in Aaron's chest. He and Kevin hold hands throughout the whole thing. While the coffin gets lowered into the ground, Aaron feels like Kevin is close to breaking his fingers, but he doesn't mind. They watch as people throw flowers into the hole, saying their last goodbyes. After they all moved on, they are the last two left.

Aaron can see Andrew, Neil and Nicky waiting on a tree a few steps away to give them their privacy.

Aaron throws a single red flower onto the coffin. He never was a very religious person, but he hopes Wymack is well, wherever he is now. He wants to leave to give Kevin some last alone time, but latter one holds him back. "No. Please stay."

Aaron nods, standing next to Kevin.

"Dad ... I already miss you. So much. I'm sorry that I couldn't save you. That I never really had time. Time that we could spend together. But ... I know she would've been proud of you. Us. And I now hope that you are going to be proud of me, too. And I hope that you will watch over me and Aaron and my family. And ... that you see mum again. I hope that you are happy."

Aaron tries to fight the tears in his eyes while Kevin doesn't even care to hide them anymore.

"Thank you for everything. I love you. I always did and always will. Goodbye, Dad." Kevin sucks in a shaky breath after his last words before turning around and falling into Aaron's arms. Aaron holds him tightly, attempting to swallow down the knot in his throat.

The world will never be the same again without Wymack.

Aaron softly kisses Kevin's tears away until he calms down. "Okay?" he whispers.

"Okay," Kevin answers, taking his hand.

They walk over to the others, Nicky embracing Kevin again, then Neil. Aaron looks at Andrew.

Maybe the world will never be the same again without Wymack.

But the world will also be okay.

Their world.


End file.
